Panel holding apparatus



Jan. 2, 1951 R. M. TYNDALL 2,536,239

' PANEL HOLDING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 27, 1946 '2 Sheets-Sheet l //vv/v TOR R. M. TVNDA L L ATTORNEY Jan. 1951 R. M. TYNDALL PANEL HOLDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1946 2 4 a my 0 5 NZ C 4 u TS a 2 M. 3 0 4 t a /)\l)\ m F j M wH II a 1/ FIG.6.

INVENTOR RM. TVNDALL ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 PANEL HOLDING APPARATUS Richard M. Tyndall, Newark, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Azpplination November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,573

2 Claims.

This invention relates to panel holding apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for holding switchboard panels, which are of like lengths but of varied widths, for the mounting and/or wiring of electrical units thereon.

In the manufacture of telephone equipment, particularly the switchboards for telephone exchanges, metal frames are providedwith vertical members apertured for the mounting of various types of panels of like lengths but of varied widths, these panels su porting the various electrical units necessary for the switch-board equipment. The electrical units are mounted upon. their respective panels and the various electrical connections fo the units are made prior to the mounting of the panels on the switchboard frames. In assembling the units and perform.- ing the various wiring and soldering operations, it is necessary to move the panel about its longitudinal c nterli-ne and without a suitable support for the panel, certain of the terminals or electrical connections between. the units may be damaged.

An object of the invention is. to provide an apparatus which is simple in structure'and hi hly efficient in readily receiving and sup orting panels of varied width in selected positions about a pivotal support.

Broadly the apparatus comprises a supportmg. base with a frame pivotally supported thereby and having sides with standard spaced apertures therein. Panel holding blocks notched to receive panels of various widths are. slidably mounted on the side members and through the aid of spring actuable pins, receivable in any of their res ective apertures. the blocks are secured in the frame to hold any selected one of the panels in place.

More specifically the apparatus includes a frame of a given length to receive any of the standard panels, the frame being secured to pivotally supported members of a ba e whereby the frame may be locked in anv desired position about its pivotal support. The panel holding blocks, for example, may have a single deep notch at one side thereof to receive a channel type panel and two notches at the other side of each block to receive other types of anels- The spring pres ed pins carried by the holdin blocks are receivable in any of the apertures in the side members of the frame to cause the blocks to hold any selected panel as near as possible to the pivotal centerline of the frame.

. Other objects and advantages will be anparent from the following detailed description '2 when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is .a perspective view of the apparatus supporting one type of panel;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the holding blocks supporting the panel shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the frame and one pair of holding blocks;

Fi 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the sides of the frame;

Fig. 5 is a lateral sectional view of the frame showing the holding blocks positioned to hold another type of panel; and

Fig. Gris a fragmentary detailed view of one of the holding blocks positioned to hold still another type of panel.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Fig. 1 which illustrates a base It) with triangular end members H and I2 connected to each other by rods I 4. Mounting plates I5 are fixedly mounted u on shafts (not shown) journalled in bearings I 6 in the u per portions of the end members H and I2. The mounting plates 15 are cylindrical and have a plurality of apertures I! disposed in circular arrangement concentric with the pivotal support or the shafts for the mounting plates. A spring pressed pin i9 may be provided for either one or both of the mounting plates, sup orted by its respective end member I l or If and receivable in anv of the apertures I 1 of its respective mounting plate IS.

A frame 2!] has lates 2| fixedly mounted at each side22 thereof with apertures .23 to receive mountirlr. bolts or rivets (not sho n) by the aid of which the frame is secured to the mountins plates l5, with its longitudinal centerline adjacent and parallel with the axes of the shafts supporting the mounting plates. The frame 20 is provided with side structures, indicated gen.- erally at 2 5, which include strips 26' with apertures Z! dis o ed at like spaced positions throu hout t eir lengths. The strips 26 are dispo ed beneath the upper surface of the main sides 22 of the frame 20 and extend the full lengths thereof as shown in Fig. 1. A su port-- ing elem nt 39 which is angular incro s-section or formed of two parts to complete this structure is mount d at a s aced posit on from each of the strips 26 to provide longitudinal grooves 3 l'.

The holding blocks are s bstantially i entical in structure and a description of one will apply to all four of the blocks shown. Attention now directed to Figs. 2 and 3.1 The block 32 shown in Fig. 3 has a recess 33 to receive one side of a panel 34. A recess 35 is formed in the opposite surface of the block 32 to receive an edge 36 of a panel 31 shown in Fig. 6. Another recess 38 is formed in the side of the block, with the recess 35, to receive an edge 39 of a panel 40 (Fig. 5). The block 32 has threaded apertures 43 to receive mounting screws 44' extending through a companion element 45 which serves to complete the mounting block and connect it for sliding movement on its respective side of the frame. The element 35 has an integral rib 46 receivable in the groove 3| so that, when the mounting screws 44 are disposed in place to firmly connect the element 45 with the mounting block, this assembly will be free to move longitudinally on its side 25 guided by the groove 35. vertically movable in an aperture 439 of the block 32 and an aligned aperture 58 in the element 4'5, urged downwardly by a spring 5| pressing against a collar concentric with and also integral with the pin The pin 68 is receivable in any of the apertures 2'1 to lock the holding block in any selected position depending upon the width of the panel. A knurled handle 53 integral with the upper end of the pin may be employed in removing the pin from one of the apertures 27 for releasing a panel from the frame. The holding blocks have been described as being substantially identical in structure, the distinguishing feature which divides them into pairs being the locations of the pins 48 required for registration with the apertures 2'! in the side strips 26.

In the present embodiment of the invention, three, types of panels have been illustrated, they olifiering mainly by their side structures. These panels are of like lengths but very in width in multiples of 1 /4" which is the width of the smallest panel. For this reason the apertures 21 are disposed in pairs known distances apart, the farthest apertures of two adjacent pairs having their centers 1%" apart, the other apertures of these pairs each being positioned with its center from its respective aperture. The spacing of the last mentioned or innermost apertures of adjacent pairs compensates for the overlapping required for holding the panel 3'? (Fig.5) in the recesses 35 of the holding blocks.

Upon considering the function or operation of the apparatus, the relative positions of the holding blocks depend first upon the type of panel to be supported b the apparatus and second upon the width of that particular panel. If the operator has a number of panels of one particular type to complete, the holding blocks may be assembled in the side structures 25 f the frame to receive this particular type of panel. As a rule the frame is positioned at a desired angle where it will be most convenient for the operator to mount the various units on the panel and to perform the initial wiring and soldering operations. The lowermost holding blocks 32 are positioned in general alignment with each other with the upper holding blocks positioned away from the lower blocks so that the panel may be located in proper position centrally of the frame or at any desired location therein. The upper holding blocks are then moved singly into place, the operator holding the pin &8 free of the apertures 2? until the block has been moved into engagement with the panel after which the pin is released to enter the aperture 27 at that position. After this has been accomplished the remaining holding block is moved into its holding position and its pin 43 released to complete the mounting of the panel on A pin 48' longitudinal centerline which in this instance I would be the axis of the frame. This may be readily accomplished by removing the pin 19 from its aperture :1 and turning the frame about its pivotal support until the panel is in the desired location. The pin 19 may be released, locking the frame with the panel in the selected position. When all of the operations have been completed on the panel, the frame may be returned to its initial loading position, the completed panel removed and another panel mounted in place.

It is apparent that the mounting of panels of different widths will require only-the adjustment of the holding blocks for the positioning of these panels singly in selected positions in the frame. The blocks positively hold the panels against lateral displacement, while the end members 22 of the frame hold the panels against longitudinal displacement.

If the holding blocks 32 are to be reversed from the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the recesses 35 or 38 upon the opposite sides thereof may be employed, the lowermost holding blocks are removed from the frame by removing their screws t4, the upper holding blocks are moved downwardly on the frame and the other holding blocks again mounted upon the upper portion of the frame. The blocks may then be employed for holding the panels 3'! and 40 in the same manner as described in connection with the panel 34.

Although specific improvements of the inven tion have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for holding panels of various ing elements mounted in the frame adiacent op-' posing sides thereof and having longitudinally extending apertures therein and standard spaced pin receiving apertures disposed in lines parallel with the first apertures, panel holding blocks notched to receive panels of various widths and thicknesses, slidably mounted on the elements over the apertures, retaining members disposed beneath the supporting elements, with apertures therein to register with the pin receiving apertures of their elements, secured to their respective blocks through their longitudinally extending apertures to hold the blocks on the elements for free movements in paths guided by the longitudinally extending apertures, and spring actuable pins carried by the blocks and receivable in any of the pin receiving apertures of their respective elements and the aligned apertures of their retaining members to securely lock the blocks in selected positions on the elements to hold a selected panel firmly on the elements in the frame.

2. An apparatus for holding panels of various standard widths comprising a substantially rectangular hollow frame with side and end members, parallel supporting elements mounted in the frame adjacent the end members short of the edges thereof and having standard spaced pin receiving apertures in parallel rows therein, companion supporting elements angular in cross-sections mounted in the frame at equally spaced positions from their respective supporting elements to provide elongate apertures the full lengths of the supporting elements, panel holding blocks notched to receive panels of various widths and thicknesses, slidably mounted on the supporting elements over the elongate apertures, retaining members disposed beneath the supporting elements, with apertures therein to register with the pin receiving apertures of their supporting elements and reduced longitudinal portions extending through the elongate apertures and secured to their respective blocks to hold the blocks on the elements for free movements in paths guided by the longitudinally extending apertures, and spring actuable locking pins carried by the blocks and receivable in any of the pin receiving apertures of their respective elements and the aligned apertures of their retaining members to securely lock the blocks in selected positions on the elements to hold a selected panel firmly on the elements within the frame.

RICHARD M. I'YNDALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

